Explosives classes are generally taught in mining departments at universities because that is where 95% of US explosives consumption (6 billion pounds per year) is used.  The Missouri S&T Mining engineering department leads the field in explosives education in the United States with the first explosives emphasis in the nation in 1997. The department has a long tradition for teaching explosives courses which in recent years has increased significantly due to student and industry demand.  New in fall 2005 the first explosives minor offered in the nation, plus both undergraduate and post graduates certificates in explosives engineering for those who do not want to do a full degree.

Availabe course topics include:
Basic class in explosives engineering

Building demolition

Advanced explosives engineering class

Commercial Pyrotechnics Operations

Stage Pyrotechnics and Special Effects (NEW)

Environmental controls for blasting

Instrumentation for explosives and blasting

Underground construction and tunneling

Special problems (in energetic materials)

Explosives research

Many classes are offered in conjunction with industry partners and the majority of classes are heavily hands on.  Several of these classes use the Missouri S&T explosives and blasting facilities such as the Missouri S&T experimental mine and explosives testing laboratory.  The Commercial Pyrotechnics, Special Effects and Building Demolition classes are the first of their kind offered for college credit in the United States. Missouri S&T is committed to further expand it's faculty and offerings in this area.

In addition a select number of these classes are offered on line for professionals in jobs and locations where it is prohibitive to attend regular classes at Missouri S&T.

The Missouri S&T mining engineering program also offers the only Explosives Summer Camp for high school students in the nation.

  For further information on what the Missouri S&T mining engineering program has to offer in the explosives area, email pworsey@mst.edu or barb@mst.edu.  Additional information, literature and sampler CD’s and DVD are available on request to interested students.

On site classes, camps and courses involve the handling of explosives and therefore are covered by the Safe Explosives Act of 2003.  As such on site programs are limited to US residents.  For full details of person prohibited by the Safe Explosives Act see http://www.atf.gov/press/fy03press/112902mining.htm and http://www.atf.gov/explarson/safexpact/documents/generalqa.pdf